[Added section on medicinal
drinks and preparations]

In the name of Allah, the Merciful, the Compassionate; the
blessings of God on our lord Muhammad, his Family and his Companions,
and grant them peace.

Chapter One: on Drinks

The Great Drink of Roots

Take the skin of the stems of fennel, the skin of the stems of
celery, the skin of the roots of carrot and ...[three words
missing]... chicory and Mecca fig,[207]
half a ratl each; three handfuls each of halhâl
(lavender?), cilantro of the spring [i.e., water source],
dawmirân,[208]
tamarisk, pennyroyal, ghâfit, chicory, mint, clove basil
and citron basil; two ûqiyas each of the seeds of
celery, carrot and roses, fennel, and habbahulwa and
nânûkha [two names for, or perhaps two
varieties of, nigella seed], and half an ûqiya of
dodder seed. The bag: half an ûqiya each of cinnamon,
flowers of cloves, ginger, Chinese rhubarb, Indian spikenard, mastic,
nutmeg and aloe stems, a mithqâl of saffron, six
ratls of honey, cleansed of its foam. Cook the herbs and seeds
in water that covers them until their force comes out; then take the
clean part of it [strain it] and throw it in honey. Put this
on the fire, and leave the spices in the bag after they have become
mushy, throw them into the drink and macerate them time after time,
until their force passes into the drink. Lay it aside and take it
from the fire, let it cool, and keep until needed. Drink one
ûqiya of this with three of water on arising, and see
that the water is hot. Benefits: fortifies the stomach and the liver,
opens blockages of the liver and spleen, cleans the stomach, and is
beneficial for the rest of the phlegmatic ailments of the
body.[209]

The Little Drink of Roots: Way of Making
It

Take the skin of the stems of caper bush, the skin of the stems of
celery, the skin of fennel root and the skin of wild carrots, two
ûqiyas of each; two handfuls each of halhâ
l (lavender?), cilantro of the spring, dawmirân,
ghâfit,[210]
chicory, pennyroyal and euphorbia. The bag: cinnamon, and flower of
cloves and ginger, an ûqiya of each; half a
mithqâl of saffron; three ratls of honey, cleaned
of its foam. Cook the seeds and herbs, covered with water, until
their strength comes out. Then take the clean part, add to the honey,
and take it to the fire, and put the bag in a kettle until it forms a
well-made syrup. Take it from the fire and pour it into an
earthenware vessel. The drink is made with two ûqiyas of
syrup to three ûqiyas of hot water. Its benefits: it
benefits the liver and opens occlusions of it, it is useful for the
spleen and cleanses the stomach of its extra phlegm wherever it is
found in the body, and it is of profit in diseases of dropsy, God
willing.

Syrup of Aloe Wood [Stem?]: Way of
Making It

Take half an ûqiya of aloe, a quarter û
qiya each of cinnamon, cloves, Chinese cinnamon, Indian lavender,
nutmeg, mastic and saffron, a ratl of sugar and the same of
rosewater. Close the roots in a bag and place them in the sugar and
rosewater. Bring all this to the fire until it takes the consistency
of syrups; then remove it from the fire, grind eight grams of musk,
and throw it in an earthenware vessel. The drink is an û
qiya with two of hot water. Its benefits: it fortifies the
stomach, the liver, and the other parts, cheers the heart, tempers
the constitution a bit, and helps in the beginning of dropsy.

Syrup of Citron Leaves: Way of Making
It

Take fifty leaves and remove the dust on them with a cloth, then
cover them all with water in a pot and cook it until the strength
comes out. Then take the clean part of it and add a ratl of
sugar. The bag: half an ûqiya each of aloe stems,
Chinese cinnamon, and cloves. Cook all this until it becomes good to
drink. Drink one ûqiya with three of water. Its
benefits: it cheers the heart with much gaiety, fortifies the
internal organs, and softens the bowels gently; it is
extraordinary.

The Great Cheering Syrup: Way of Making
It

Take half a ratl each of borage, mint, and citron leaves,
cook them in water to cover until their strength comes out, then take
the clean part and add it to a ratl of sugar. Then put in the
bag: a spoonful each of aloe stems, Chinese rhubarb, Chinese
cinnamon, cinnamon and clove flowers; pound all these coarsely, place
them in a cloth, tie it well, and place it in the kettle, macerate it
again and again until its substance passes out, and cook until
[the liquid] takes the consistency of syrups. Take one
û qiya with three of hot water. Benefits: It profits
[preceding two words apparently supplied; in parentheses in
printed Arabic text] weak stomachs, fortifies the liver and
cheers the heart, digests foods, and lightens the constitution
gently, God willing.

A Syrup of Honey

Take a quarter ûqiya each of cinnamon, flower of
cloves and ginger, mastic, nutmeg, Chinese cinnamon, Sindi laurel,
Indian lavender, Roman spikenard, elder twigs, elder seeds, oil of
nutmeg, bitter and sweet nuts, large and small cardamom, wild
spikenard, galingale, aloe stems, saffron, and sedge. Pound all this
coarsely, tie it in a cloth, and put it in the kettle with fifteen
ratls of water and five of honey, cleaned of its foam. Cook
all this until it is at the point of drinking. Drink an û
qiya and a half, and up to two, with hot water. Its benefit is
for weak livers; it fortifies the stomach and benefits dropsy among
other ailments; it dissolves phlegm from all parts of the body and
heats it a great deal, gives gaiety, lightens the body, and it was
used by the ancients like wine for weariness.

Recipe for Honey-Water

Take a ratl of honey and add five ratls of water,
cook until the water departs and the honey remains, and clean off the
foam little by little. Pound half an ûqiya of
pellitory[211]
and place it in a cloth, put it in the kettle and bruise it once and
again until its substance comes out. Remove it to an earthenware
vessel, and take it from it at the necessary time, for it makes up
for all that which detracts from this notable quality.

The Recipe for Making a Syrup of
Julep

Take five ratls of aromatic rosewater, and two and a half
of sugar, cook all this until it takes the consistency of syrups.
Drink two ûqiyas of this with three of hot water. Its
benefits: in phlegmatic fever; it fortifies the stomach and the
liver, profits at the onset of dropsy, purifies and lightens the
body, and in this it is most extraordinary, God willing.

Syrup of Sandalwood: Way of Making It

Take two ûqiyas each of red and white sandalwood, and
an ûqiya of white manna[212]
of sugarcane. Then pound the sandalwood and cook it in rosewater
until its substance comes out, and let there be five ratls of
the rosewater. Then take the clean part of it and add it to two
ratls of sugar, take the tabâshîr and put
it in a bag, and cook all this until it forms a well-made syrup. Its
benefits are to calm the heat of jaundice, to cut thirst, and to
profit in the other ailments and fevers of jaundice. It leaves the
nature as it is, without causing retention or thinness of urine. It
fortifies the stomach, the liver, and the other organs, and in this
it is most extraordinary.

Formula for Making a Syrup of Mastic

Take three ûqiyas of mastic, powder it and put it in
a bag, then take a ratl of mint and cook it, covered with
water, until its substance comes out. Take the clean part of it and
mix it with three ratls of sugar and honey, and cook all this
until it takes the form of a drink. Drink two ûqiyas of
this with three of hot water. Its profits: for the stomach and for
digesting food; it cuts vomiting and binds the bowels,[213]
and fortifies the liver: it is the utmost in this.

Syrup of Harir: Way of Making It

Take the almonds of silk[214]
and extract from them the small seeds, after removing their hearts,
four ratls. Then divide almonds and clean the dirt from them,
wash them very well in cold water until softened, and drain the
water. Then take water out of a river oriented Eastward; heat
polished steel and cool it in this water until the water is reduced
by half and changes color. Cook the harir in this water until
its substance comes out; press it, and add to the water three
ratls of honey, cleaned of its foam. The bag: half an
ûqiya each of cinnamon and cloves, an û
qiya of ginger, an ûqiya each of cubebs, long pepper
and galingale. Then pound roots and put them in a bag, which is then
tied with a strong thread and added to the honey and the clean part.
Put it on the fire and cook it until a syrup is made. Drink two
ûqiyas of this with three of hot water. It profits in
the lack of urine, and increases desire well; it dissolves the fat
from all parts of the body and heats it well, God willing, by its
generosity and virtue.

Syrup of Mint: Way of Making It

Take mint and basil, citron and cloves, a handful of each, and
cook all this in water to cover, until its substance comes out, and
add the clear part of it to a ratl of sugar. The bag: an
ûqiya of flower of cloves, and cook all this until a
syrup is made. Its benefits: it frees bodies that suffer from phlegm,
and cuts phlegmatic urine, fortifies the liver and the stomach and
cheers it a great deal; in this it is admirable.

Syrup of Fresh Roses, and the Recipe for
Making It

Take a ratl of fresh roses, after removing the dirt from
them, and cover them with boiled water for a day and a night, until
the water cools and the roses fall apart in the water. Clean it and
take the clean part of it and add to a ratl of sugar. Cook all
this until it takes the form of a syrup. Drink an ûqiya
of this with two of hot water; its benefits are at the onset of
dropsy, and it fortifies the stomach and the liver and the other
internal organs, and lightens the constitution; in this it is
admirable.

A Recipe for Making It by Repetition

Take the same, a ratl of roses or more, and place it in
water to cover it, boiling for a day and a night. Then take out the
roses that are in the water and throw them away, and go with the same
quantity of fresh roses, which are to be covered likewise with this
water, after boiling it a second time, and leave this also a day and
a night. Throw away these roses likewise, and put in others and treat
them as before, and continue doing this for ten days or more. Its
benefit and the strength of its making are solely in the manner of
repeating. Then clarify the water of roses and add to it as much
sugar, and cook it until it takes the form of a syrup. It reaches the
limit in thinning and moistening the constitution, God willing.

Syrup of Dried Roses

Take a ratl of dried roses, and cover with three
ratls of boiling water, for a night, and leave it until they
fall apart in the water. Press it and clarify it, take the clear part
and add it to two ratls of white sugar, and cook all this
until it is in the form of a syrup. Drink an ûqiya and a
half of this with three of water. Its benefits: it binds the
constitution, and benefits at the start of dropsy, fortifies the
other internal organs, and provokes the appetite, God willing.

Syrup of Violets

Take a ratl of fresh violet flowers, and cover them with
three ratls of boiling water, and boil until their substance
comes out; then take the clean part of it and mix it with four
ratls of sugar, and cook all this until it takes the form of a
syrup. Drink an ûqiya and a half of this with three of
hot water. Its benefits are in the fever of jaundice, it cuts thirst
and lightens the body gently, and benefits in dry coughs, but it
weakens the stomach.

Manner of Making a Syrup of Maryû
t

Take maryût, lavender, and mashîsha, two
handfuls of each, and two ûqiyas each of fennel, anise,
and peeled licorice roots, cook all this in water to cover until its
substance comes out, then take the clean part of it and add to two
ratls of honey, and cook all this until it takes the form of a
syrup. Drink an ûqiya of this with three of hot water.
Its benefit is in moist coughs; it cleans the throat, dissolves the
phlegm from the stomach, and lightens the body gently.

Syrup of Hyssop

Take an ûqiya of hyssop and two of fennel and anise,
and an ûqiya each of jujubes, watermelon seeds and
cucumber seeds, and a handful of cleaned figs, two handfuls each of
lavender and cilantro of the spring, and two ûqiyas each
of the skin of fennel stalk and the skin of celery stalk. Cook all
this in water to cover until its substance comes out; then take the
clean part of it and add it to two ratls of sugar, and cook
all this until it takes the consistency of syrup. Drink an
ûqiya and a half of this in three of hot water when
fasting. It benefits in moist coughs and stops abscesses of the
brain;[215]
it dissolves phlegm from the other parts of the body and causes urine
and menstrual fluid to flow, it fortifies the stomach, and it is
admirable.
...[gap: the upper third of this page is cut off]...
with two ûqiyas of hot water. Its benefits are in the
various kinds of dropsy; it fortifies the stomach and prevents
jaundice rising to close the liver, it excites the appetite, cools
fevers, and is not harmful to the chilled.

Syrup of Basil

Take seeds of fresh green basil, pound them in a stone mortar, and
press out their water. Take these seeds and cook them in water until
half of the water remains, clarify it and leave it to cool. Pour in a
suitable amount sugar when it is cold, and put it on the fire until
it takes the consistency of syrup. If seeds cannot be found, take the
leaves, be they green or dried, cook them in water to cover until
their substance comes out, and then take the clean part of it and add
the sugar; cook it as I have indicated for the seeds, and take it to
an earthenware vessel. Drink an ûqiya of this in three
of cold water. Its benefits are to free the bowel with blood and for
him who has a cough with diarrhea.

Take a ratl of strong vinegar and mix it with two
ratls of sugar, and cook all this until it takes the form of a
syrup. Drink an ûqiya of this with three of hot water
when fasting: it is beneficial for fevers of jaundice, and calms
jaundice and cuts the thirst, since sikanjabîn syrup is
beneficial in phlegmatic fevers: make it with six ûqiyas
of sour vinegar for a ratl of honey and it is admirable.
...[gap: top third of this page has been cut off]...
... and a ratl of sugar; cook all this until it takes the
consistency of syrup. Its benefit is to relax the bowels and cut the
thirst and vomiting, and it is beneficial in bilious fevers.

Syrup of Pomegranates

Take a ratl of sour pomegranates and another of sweet
pomegranates, and add their juice to two ratls of sugar, cook
all this until it takes the consistency of syrup, and keep until
needed. Its benefits: it is useful for fevers, and cuts the thirst,
it benefits bilious fevers and lightens the body gently.

Syrup of Sour Grapes

Take a ratl of juice pressed from sour grapes, and another
of sugar, join them and cook until it takes the form of a syrup.
Drink an ûqiya of this in two more of water. Its uses:
for mastering jaundice and cutting bilious vomiting ; it gives
appetite and cuts the thirst, dissolves phlegm by cutting it, and
stops bitterness in the mouth.

Take half a ratl of flower of isfitân, and
cook it with five ratls of water until its substance comes
out, then take the clear part of it and mix it with two ratls
of honey. The bag: half an ûqiya of cinnamon, then cook
all this until it takes the form of a syrup. Drink an û
qiya with three of hot water. Its advantages are for melancholic
fevers, and it is not used in other illnesses except at the
beginning; and with this it provokes urine and menstruation, and
cleans the stomach of filth.

Syrup of Lavender (Halhâl)

Take a ratl of lavender and cook it in water to cover until
its substance comes out. Then take the clear part of it and add it to
a ratl of honey and cook all this until it takes the form of a
syrup. Drink an ûqiya and a half of this with three of
hot water. Its advantages are in cleaning the brain and the stomach;
it lightens the body and dries up black bile gently, but it contracts
the breath, and it is fitting to regulate the drink with the cheering
drink or water of mufarrih (cheering).

Syrup of Lemon

Take lemon, after peeling its outer skin, press it and take a
ratl of juice, and add as much of sugar. Cook it until it
takes the form of a syrup. Its advantages are for the heat of bile;
it cuts the thirst and binds the bowels.

A Syrup of Benefit Against the Burning of
Jaundice and Ringworm

Take juice pressed from shashtaraj (fumitory), which is
known as "children's greens," and juice pressed from endive
(chicory), which is known as taifaq, and juice pressed from
borage, half a ratl of each. Boil it on the fire, clarify it
and add a ratl of sugar. The bag: put in a ratl of the
skin of yellow myrobalan, cooked until it falls apart and forced
through a cloth. Cook all this until it takes the form of a syrup.
Drink three ûqiyas of this in half a ratl of
fresh milk.

A Syrup which Dries Black Bile and
Phlegm

Take a ratl of basbâyij,[218]
peeled in its upper part, and another of sanâ, and half
a ratl of agaric [? ghâriqûn], and
two ûqiyas each of fennel and ground licorice wood, and
a handful each of lavender mashashtir,[219]
and spring cilantro. The bag: put an ûqiya of cinnamon
and another of cloves, grind them coarsely and put them in the bag.
Cook the roots in two ratls of water until their substance
comes out, then take the clear part of it and add it to two
ratls of honey and four more of sugar, and cook all this until
it takes the form of a syrup. Drink three ûqiyas of this
with half a ratl of hot water, after taking a few seeds of
good musk. Its benefits: in all the heats of the body, in all black
ringworm infections, and in phlegm; it cleans all the residues from
the body and purges it gently for a good evacuation.

Syrup of Jujubes

Take two ratls of jujubes and an ûqiya each of
purslane [rujlâ] and lettuce; cook all this in
five ratls of water, then clarify it and add it to two
ratls of sugar, and cook until it takes the form of a syrup.
Drink an ûqiya of it with three of cold water. It
benefits in periodical fevers, purifies thick blood, calms the cough,
cuts thirst, and lightens the constitution.

Syrup of Thistle

Take a ratl of thistle, ground coarsely, half a ratl
of mashashtir, and an ûqiya of bay leaves
[rand: this word can also mean myrtle or aloes, according
to the dictionary], a handful which fills the hand of leaves from
the interior of an orange tree, half an ûqiya each of
anise, seeds of wild carrot, and seeds of dodder, an û
qiya each of bitter and sweet almonds; pulverize all the roots
and greens and cover them with three ratls of water in which
black garbanzos have been steeped for a night and a day. Then put it
in a new pot and cook until the water is reduced by half, then steep
it and clarify it and take the clear part to add to a ratl of
sugar and another of honey. The bag: half an ûqiya each
of Indian spikenard, asârûn,[220]
and flower of cloves, and cook all this until it takes the form of a
syrup. Drink an ûqiya and a half of it with three
ûqiyas of hot water, and above all, if it is drunk in
the bath, it has a greater effect, if it please God the Most High,
praise be to Him.

Syrup of Tamarind

Take a ratl of tamarind and steep in five ratls of
water, throw away the dregs immediately and add the clarified water
to a ratl of sugar. Cook all this until it takes the form of a
syrup. Drink two ûqiyas of it in three of cold water. It
is beneficial in jaundice, and takes it away easily; it cuts bilious
vomit and thirst, awakens the appetite to eat, and takes the
bitterness of food out of the mouth.

Syrup of Carrots

Take four ratls of carrots, after removing the fibers
[lit. "nerves"] that are in the centers, and cook them in
water to cover until their substance comes out. Then take the clear
part of it and add it to three ratls of honey, cleaned of its
foam. The bag: ...[about three words missing]... an
ûqiya of cubebs, two ûqiyas each of ginger
and long pepper, and half an ûqiya of cinnamon and
flower of cloves. Cook until it takes the form of a syrup. Drink an
ûqiya of this with three of hot water: it is beneficial
in the lack of urine, increases desire, and dissolves phlegm, heats
the kidneys admirably, and likewise the other parts of the body, God
willing.

Syrup of Apples

Take a ratl of sweet apples, those that the common people
call sarîj [this might mean "little lamps"],
cook them in water to cover until they fall apart and their substance
comes out, then clarify it and take the clear part and add it to a
ratl of sugar. The bag: an ûqiya of aloe stems,
pounded and put into the bag. Cook until it takes the form of a
syrup. Drink an ûqiya in two of hot water. Its benefits:
it fortifies and gladdens the heart.

Second Chapter: on Pastes

Carrot Paste

Take a ratl of carrots, of which you have cleaned the
interior. Cook it in a ratl of water, some two boilings, then
take it off the fire and let it dry a little, over a sieve. Add it to
three ratls of honey, cleaned of its foam, and cook all this
until it takes the form of a paste. Then season it with ginger,
galingale, cubeb and flowers [of clove?], half an û
qiya in all for each ratl. Eat it like a nut at meals. Its
benefits: it fortifies coitus and increases desire beautifully; it is
admirable.

Green Walnut Paste

Take a ratl of green walnuts and pierce them well with an
iron skewer, then steep them in water for three days; take them out
of the water and for each ratl take three of honey, cleaned of
its foam, after cooking the nuts a little. Take them from the water
and return them to the honey, and cook them until they take the form
of a paste. Season with cinnamon, cloves, and ginger, three quarters
of an ûqiya for each ratl, and eat it after
meals. Its benefits: it excites the appetite and digests foods, heats
the kidneys, and increases urine.

Quince Paste

Take a ratl of quince, cleaned of its seeds and cut into
small pieces. Pound it well until it is like brains. Cook it with
three ratls of honey, cleaned of its foam, until it takes the
form of a paste. It is also made by another, more amazing recipe:
take it as said before, and cook it in water alone until its essence
comes out, clean the water of its sediments, and add it to as much
sugar, and make it thin and transparent, without redness, and what
you have made will remain in this state. Its benefits: it lightens
the belly that suffers from bile, it suppresses bitterness in the
mouth, and excites the appetite. And I say it keeps bad vapors from
rising from the stomach to the brain.

Paste of Honeyed Roses

Take half a ratl of fresh roses and two ratls of
honey; take the petals from the roses and scatter them in a ceramic
cooking-pan; boil the honey on the fire and remove its foam; add the
roses and boil it until it takes the aspect of a paste. Eat it like a
nut at meals. Its benefits: for weak stomachs, for the liver, for the
onset of dropsy of the lower belly, and it lightens the constitution
moderately, God willing.

Violet Paste

Take a ratl of the flowers and three of honey, after
removing its foam. Cook all this until it takes the form of a paste,
and eat of it like a nut at meals. Its advantages: it counters dry
coughs, softens the belly, cuts bilious thirst and cuts the bile that
comes out, God willing.

Mint Paste

Take a ratl of green mint leaves and crush them gently; add
three ratls of honey, cleaned of its foam, and blend it until
it takes the form of a paste. Then season it with an û
qiya of flower of cloves per ratl. Its benefits: it eases
and aids against heaviness of the body and mind, aids in eardrum
[? tabli: from the word for drum] dropsy, dissolves
phlegm in the various parts of the body, strengthens the urine, and
cuts vomit; it is good with sweet grains of anise, eaten with them or
after them. It is beneficial, God willing.

Take four ûqiyas of its outermost skin, after peeling
it with iron knives, then pound it gently and cook it in water to
cover; then add it to a ratl of honey, cleaned of its foam,
and thicken it until it takes the form of a paste. Eat of it like a
nut at meals. It benefits ...[one word missing]... dissolves
phlegm in various parts of the body, awakens the appetite to eat,
makes urine flow, aids in dropsy, and lightens the constitution
mildly. In this it is admirable, God willing.

Take a ratl of its skin, peeled on the outer part, and
pound it well, cook it in water to cover, and then add it to three
ratls of honey, cleaned of its foam. Thicken it until it takes
the form of a paste, then season it with ...[three lines
missing]... four ûqiyas of cinnamon, cloves, Chinese
cinnamon, and Indian spikenard, an ûqiya of each. Pound
all this and add it to two ratls of sugar dissolved in some
rosewater, and cook it until it takes the form of a paste, and then
melt it in four mithqâls of musk. Its advantages: it
digests the food and clears the head, dissolves phlegm in the head,
aids in all mild coughs, provokes urine and menstruation. Eat of it,
like a nut, at meals.

A Paste which Fortifies the Stomach, the
Liver, and the Brain

Take habbat halâwa [seed of sweetness; usually a
synonym for shûnîz, nigella], caraway, fried
cumin, and shuniz (nigella), four ûqiyas of each,
pound all this and mix it with three ratls of honey, cleaned
of its foam. Thicken it until it is a dough. Eat it like a nut at
meals. Its benefits: in the winds of the body, it dissolves phlegm
and digests foods, clears the head, lightens the body gently, aids in
mild coughs, and dries black bile gently.

Orange Paste

Take the peel of red oranges, after steeping them in water, and
cut them like fingers. Take a weight of one ratl and add to it
three ratls of honey cleaned of its foam, until it takes the
form of a paste. Eat of it like a nut at meals. Its benefits: it
digests foods, dissolves phlegm, increases the urine, and aids in
cold poisons;[223]
in this it is admirable.

Caraway Paste

Take fried caraway, steeped in vinegar ...[three lines
missing] [224]...
. and excites the appetite. It is beneficial, God willing, exalted be
He.

Take a ratl of mint, pound it and press out its juice, add
a ratl of sugar and a quarter of an ûqiya of
mastic and make an electuary. Its benefits: it cuts phlegmatic
vomiting, excites the appetite, heats the stomach, and if taken
before eating, constipates the intestines; it is useful.

Take half an ûqiya of it, and of mastic, cinnamon,
Chinese cinnamon, half an ûqiya each, two ratls
of sugar and two more of rosewater. Put all this on the fire until it
makes an electuary. Its benefits: it strengthens the heart and
lightens the spirit, digests foods, lightens the body gently,
strengthens the liver, dissolves phlegm in various parts of the body,
and aids in dropsy.

Electuary of Cloves

Take two ûqiyas of its flowers and two ratls
of sugar dissolved in rosewater; thicken it until it takes the form
of a paste and make an electuary, in the form of fingers and tablets.
Eat half an ûqiya of it at meals. Its benefits: it
excites the appetite, dissolves phlegm, greatly gladdens, increases
the force of coitus, and restrains the temperament.

Electuary of Musk

Take a mithqâl of musk, half an ûqiya of
aloe sticks ["moon wood"], and half an ûqiya
each of Chinese laurel and Indian lavender. Pound the medicinal herbs
and add them to two ratls of sugar, dissolved in rosewater,
and cook it into an electuary. Its benefits: it lightens the spirit
and improves the smell of the breath ...[four lines
missing]...
a quarter of an ûqiya of ginger and pepper, a quarter of
an ûqiya of each, of rue a quarter of an û
qiya. Pound all this and add it to two ûqiyas of
honey cleaned of its foam. Eat half an ûqiya of it after
meals; it excites the meal and digests it, expels gas and dissolves
phlegm, aids in dropsy, and provokes urine and menstruation.

Electuary of Red Sandalwood

Take three quarters of an ûqiya of red sandalwood,
and a quarter of an ûqiya of tabashir (manna
sugar). Pound all this and add it to a ratl and a quarter of
sugar, dissolved in rosewater. Cook all this until it takes the form
of juwarish and take it off the fire.

Electuary of White Sandalwood

Take an ûqiya of white sandalwood and a quarter of an
ûqiya of tabashir, pound it all and sift it; add
it to a ratl and a quarter of sugar and as much again of
rosewater; cook it all until it makes juwarish.

Fourth Chapter: On Medicinal Powders
(Sufûfât)

Take fennel, anise, peeled licorice wood, thyme, and flowers of
halhâl [spikenard?] and myrobalan, one
ûqiya of each, and as much sugar as of all the rest.
Pound the medicinal herbs, sift them and add to the sugar, and drink
of it at bedtime. Its advantages: for him who wants to clear his
head, and dry the lungs of the moisture of phlegm.

Another Delicate Medicinal Powder

Take fennel, habbat halâwa [nigella?] and
sugar, equal amounts, pound it all and mix it. Administer it in a
powder at bedtime, in the amount of one handful. It cleans the head
and the stomach and calms mild coughs, God willing.

A Powder Which Cleans the Stomach
...[four lines missing]...

... four ûqiyas, pound it all and take one handful
before breakfast.

Powders That Digest The Food

Take four ûqiyas of mastic, pound it and add it as
much sugar, and to both add an ûqiya of anise and
another of fennel. Mix it all and administer half an û
qiya of it at bedtime.

Editor's Notes

This translation has a somewhat complicated history. The original
project was to retranslate into English Ambrosio Huici-Miranda's
Spanish translation of the Arabic original of the Manuscrito Anonimo,
a 13th century Andalusian recipe collection. During a period of
several years, almost the entire collection was translated; the
translators were Stephen Bloch (Joshua ibn-Eleazar ha-Shalib), Elise
Fleming (Alys Katherine), Janet Hinson (Mairoli Bhan), and (Habib ibn
al-Andalusi). The names in parentheses are those used by the
translators within the SCA; I unfortunately have no other name for
the last translator listed.
After almost all of the translation had been completed and several
preliminary versions circulated, Charles Perry offered to redo the
translation from Huici-Miranda's Arabic edition of the original
manuscript, with the assistance of Huici-Miranda's Spanish
translation and the English retranslation. It is that translation
that is given here. While he made use of suggested readings by the
other translators in deciding ambiguous points, and in some places
retained their phrasing, the final interpretation is his, and is
based on the Arabic not on Huici-Miranda's Spanish translation.

All unattributed parenthetic comments are by Charles Perry. I have
also included some footnotes translated from Huici-Miranda's Spanish
edition, attributed as HM. In addition there are a few footnotes by
me or by the translators involved in the first stage of the project,
identified by initials. Many of Charles Perry's notes include
references to Huici-Miranda; it should usually be clear by context
whether the reference is to his Spanish translation or his edition of
the Arabic.

The general notes below are mostly mine, except for the weights
and measures and the translation of the Byzantine Murri recipe, which
were provided by Charles Perry.

David
Friedman

Some General Notes on Islamic Cooking

Weights and Measures
1 ratl (< the Greek litra < the Roman libra)=12
ûqiyas; in 13th century Andalusia, 1 ratl=468.75
g, about a pound
1 ûqiya (< the Roman uncia)=10 dirham; in 13th
century Andalusia, 1 ûqiya=39 g, about 1 1/3 ounces or 7
teaspoons
1 mithqâl=10/7 dirham; in Andalusia, 5.7 g
1 dirham (< the Greek drachme)=6 danaq; in 13th
century Andalusia, 1 dirham=3.9 g, or 3/4 teaspoon
1 thumn = 1/8 qadah (according to Hinz. The word
literally means an eighth, and its application to saffron in this
cookbook suggests that it may sometimes be an eighth of a
dirham).
1 mudd (< modius, the Roman peck); in the Maghrib=4.32
liters. Some recipes in this book refer to the "small mudd,"
which might have been 1.08 liters.
1 qadah=0.94 liters or (the "great qadah") 1.88 liters,
by Egyptian measurement, which might be implied in some recipes. In
Andalusia, however, the qadah was a measurement of wine and
very much larger, on the order of 32 liters.
1 kail can equal from 6.5 liters to 22 liters. The word
literally means "a measure."Makkûk: Another vague unit of volume, varying from 7.5
to 18.8 liters.
From Islamische Masse und Gewichte by Walther Hinz, E. J.
Brill, Leiden 1955

Ingredients

Mastic should be available from a good spice
store, or possibly an Indian grocery store. Aphrodisia (282 Bleeker
St., NY, NY 10014, (212) 989-6440), which was my source for spices
many years ago, sells both retail and mail order, as does Magickal
Childe, Inc. (35 West 19th St., NY, NY 10011, (212) 242-7182). Wheat
starch and sumac can be found in Iranian grocery stores. The sesame
oil in Islamic recipes probably corresponds to modern Middle Eastern
sesame oil, which is almost tasteless, not to the strongly flavored
sesame oil used in Chinese cooking.
So far as we can tell, the only old world variety of bean other than
lentils and garbanzos commonly available is the fava or broad bean,
so we use it in bean recipes.

Murri

The 13th-century Islamic recipes frequently
contain an ingredient called murri or (in some translations)
almori. It is one of a group of condiments that were popular in early
Islamic cooking and vanished sometime after the fourteenth century.
Al-Baghdadi gives the following recipes for murri; if you try
one and it works out, let me know. According to Charles Perry, the
penny-royal in these recipes is a mis-translation and should be
budhaj (rotted barley). He gives the following instructions
for making budhaj:
"All the recipes concur that budhaj was made from barley flour
(or a mixture of barley and wheat) kneaded without leaven or salt.
Loaves of this dough were rotted, generally in closed containers for
40 days, and then dried and ground into flour for further rotting
into the condiments."
(First recipe)
Take 5 ratls each of penny-royal and flour. Make the flour
into a good dough without leaven or salt, bake, and leave until dry.
Then grind up fine with the penny-royal, knead into a green trough
with a third the quantity of salt, and put out into the sun for 40
days in the heat of the summer, kneading every day at dawn and
evening, and sprinkling with water. When black, put into conserving
jars, cover with an equal quantity of water, stirring morning and
evening: then strain it into the first murri. Add cinnamon,
saffron and some aromatic herbs.
(Second recipe)
Take penny-royal and wheaten or barley flour, make into a dry dough
with hot water, using no leaven or salt, and bake into a loaf with a
hole in the middle. Wrap in fig leaves, stuff into a preserving-jar,
and leave in the shade until fetid. Then remove and dry.

Recently, Charles Murray has succeeded in making
murri; the process was a lengthy one. He reports that the taste is
rather like soy sauce, although there are no soy beans in it. I
believe his experiments were written up (by him) in the L.A. Times,
but I do not have the cite.

In addition to the surviving recipes for murri, there are also
at least two surviving references to what was apparently a fake
murri, a substitute made by a much simpler process. If one
cannot have real murri, period fake murri seems like
the next best thing. The recipe is as follows:

Description of byzantine murri
[made] right away: There is taken, upon the name of God the
Most High, of honey scorched in a nuqrah [perhaps this
word means 'a silver vessel'], three ratls; pounded
scorched oven bread, ten loaves; starch, half a ratl; roasted
anise, fennel and nigella, two ûqiyas of each; byzantine
saffron, an ûqiya; celery seed, an ûqiya;
syrian carob, half a ratl; fifty peeled walnuts, as much as
half a ratl; split quinces, five; salt, half a
makkûk dissolved in honey; thirty ratls water;
and the rest of the ingredients are thrown on it, and it is boiled on
a slow flame until a third of the water is absorbed. Then it is
strained well in a clean nosebag of hair. It is taken up in a greased
glass or pottery vessel with a narrow top. A little lemon from
Takranjiyya (? Sina'ah 51 has Bakr Fahr) is thrown on it, and
if it suits that a little water is thrown on the dough and it is
boiled upon it and strained, it would be a second (infusion). The
weights and measurements that are given are Antiochan and Zahiri
[as] in Mayyafariqin.
The following quantities are for 1/32 of the above recipe.
3 T honey (2/3 t nigela) 1 1/2 oz quince
1 1/2 oz bread 1/4 t saffron 1/2 c salt in 3T honey
1 T wheat starch 1/3 t celery seed 1 pint water
2/3 t anise 1/4 oz carob lemon (1/4 of one)
2/3 t fennel 1/4 oz walnut

I cooked the honey in a small frying pan on medium heat, bringing it
to a boil then turning off the heat and repeating several times; it
tasted scorched. The bread was sliced white bread, toasted in a
toaster to be somewhat blackened, then mashed in a mortar. The anise
and fennel were toasted in a frying pan or roasted under a broiler,
then ground in a mortar with celery seed and walnuts. The quince was
quartered and cored. After it was all boiled together for about 2
hours, it was put in a potato ricer, the liquid squeezed out and
lemon juice added. The recipe generates about 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 c of
liquid. I then add another 1/2c or water to the residue, simmer 1/2
hr -1 hr, and squeeze out that liquid for the second infusion, which
yields about 1/3 c. A third infusion using 1/3 c yields another 1/4 c
or so.

Glossary and Translator's
Explanations

The following explanations are by Charles Perry,
unless otherwise identified.

Boil and Fry: The respective verbs are ghala and
qala, which are devilishly similar-looking in Maghribi script. When
there's a lot of oil in a pan, I allow HM to say boil, but I have not
hesitated to differ from his interpretation. The Spanish translation
has rendered "boil" as "boil" when it refers to heating a liquid and
"scald" when it refers to cooking a solid ingredient in boiling
liquid; a handy distinction, though not one either English or Arabic
happens to make. Since in English "boil" means to boil lightly, I
have changed nearly all scalds to boils.
Chinese Cinnamon: (C. cassia: wooden bark) also known as
cassia. For most purposes ordinary cinnamon can be substituted, but
there is a slight difference of flavor.
Clarified Butter: butter melted and separated from its milk
solids.
Coriander: Coriander seed
Cilantro: Coriander leaves and stem
Cut or slice: When it comes to knifework, I distinguish between
qata'a, "to cut, to cut off," qatta'a, "to cut up," and
sharaha, "to slice."
Eyes: This term is applied to herbs and cabbage. We suspect that it
may be a measure, such as a bunch or handful, or perhaps a particular
part, such as the inner part of a head of cabbage.fânîd : The recipes show that fâ
nîd was either refined sugar or a pulled taffy
Furn: Bread oven. In general, we translate it as oven, and give the
Arabic for tannur.
Gourd: Not our squash or pumpkins, which are from the new world. The
gourd mentioned in period recipes may be Lagenaria sicereia,
the white blossomed gourd. Some of the edible gourds used in Chinese
cooking and sometimes available in Chinese grocery stores are
Lagenaria. I have heard that the Italian Edible Gourd is a Lagenaria;
seeds are available from some nurseries. We usually use squash as the
closest alternative readily available. (DF)
Hearthstone: Dishes are removed from the fire ("taken down" is the
terminology; putting a pot on a fire literally means "raise it") and
set on the hearthstone (radaf). Huici Miranda has translated
this word as "embers," but it definitely is a stone, and some recipes
make it clear that radaf was the word for the stone outside
the tannur oven onto which ashes could be swept.Presumably the
dishes are removed to the hearthstone to be cooked at a low heat.
Things are also often removed to the embers (jamr) or the
euphorbia embers (ghada) to cook, though more slowly.
Julep: It was basically a rose-flavored sugar syrup. Jullab is
the word in Arabic, but it's Persian to begin with: gul-ab,
"rose-water."Ka'k: One of the most ancient baked goods of the Near East.
It's so old we don't know whether the word is Aramaic or Ancient
Egyptian. Anyway, it was (and is) a biscuit in the sense of something
baked or cooked twice. In one place it has been translated hardtack,
which is close enough except that it's usually somewhat sweetened. I
have left it untranslated, but often added parenthetically
(biscotti), since it resembles Italian biscotti.
"knead," "beat" or "stir.": The verb that has stumped me most often
is 'araka. According to the lexicons, this means "to be a
strong fighter" (ma'raka means battlefield), or "to consume
all the vegetation in an area" (of animals). The context shows that
in recipes it means to mix in some way, but I have often been unsure
whether to translate it "knead," "beat" or "stir."
Kohl: Antimony powder, used as makeup. It can be ground to a very
fine powder.
moist: Ratb means moist, fresh, succulent. I have sometimes
differed from HM's interpretation, usually favoring moistness.Murri: See notes on ingredients above.Murri naqî' is the technical name of the variety of
murri unique to Andalus. The name means "infused" or
"macerated" murri.
Mustard: Sinab was simply mustard as we know it, ground
mustard seed made into a condiment with grape juice or vinegar; it
was common in Andalusian cooking but not known in the Levant, where
mustard was always a spice, never a condiment.
Pan, Frying pan: Used to translate miqlât, which was
used only for frying. It might be either clay or iron.
Pot: Used to translate qidr.
Pound: The verb daqqa, one of the commonest verbs in any
recipe of the mortar-happy Middle Ages, means to pound. I have always
translated it that way.qursa was (as it still is in Arabic) a small round bread,
relatively flat; close enough to a small pita.Raghîf means flatbread, rolled out decidedly thinner
than a pita.
Ram: In the recipes that call for ram, I wonder whether they might be
steered rams. Adult ram is pretty tough and gamy. Also, it makes good
sense to castrate most of the males in a flock that are allowed to
grow up.
Roll Out: madda means to stretch out or roll out. I usually
translate it as roll out (implying a rolling pin).ruqâq means a thin flatbread, as close to paper-thin as
possible.salâya: a stone chopping board or work surfaceSamn means clarified butter; pure butterfat with the milk
solids removed--the Indian ghee.
Serve, Present or Use: Some recipes say, when a dish is done, to
present it (qaddama); others say to use it (ista'mala).
On the presumption that there may be some pattern to this
terminology, I have distinguished between "serve" or "present" and
"use." In fact, these may be just usages that were followed in the
various recipe books this writer lifted from.
Skimmed Honey: Honey was nearly always boiled and then skimmed of the
froth or scum that would come to the top. Since "honey, cleaned of
its scum" is a clumsy locution, I have rendered it as "skimmed
honey." Sugar syrup was often skimmed the same way.
Spices: I have not distinguished between tîb (literally,
goodness; perfume), tawâbil (spices),
afâwîh (aromatics) and 'aqâqîr
(drugs), because they seem to be used indiscriminately. I have
translated them all as "spices." And I have not found any warrant for
Huici Miranda's "aromatic herbs"; I render them too as spices. NB: in
some cases, Huici Miranda was misled by the fact that tib
(goodness, perfume) and tayyib (good) are spelled the
same.
Tajine: tâjin, A North African earthenware cooking dish with a
lid.Tannur: Clay oven, cousin to the Indian tandoor, often partly
buried in the ground. { Distinguished from the surface oven by having
around 125 cm in length, 50 in breadth, and some 40 in height,
according to Guinaudeau in Fes vu par sa cuisine, p.185.
Al-Saqati mentions it, p. 53 and al-Saquri, folio 60 v, says that
dishes cooked in it are more flavorful than those of the surface
oven.} Huici-Miranda